By the age of 4 months, your baby has already grown a lot, and will now weigh double her birth weight. His/her appetite is growing and is able to take greater quantities of formula or breast milk at each feed. Although it is a little early for him/her to begin taking solid food, it won't be long until you can begin introducing them into his/her diet. This is when many parents ask"how much should a 4 month old eat?" While the answer might be different to every baby, it is useful to have a general idea of how to feed a 4monthold.

How Much Should a 4 Month Old Eat?

At the age of four months, your baby only needs iron fortified formula or breast milk. He/she should be taking between 5-6 ounces 4-6 times per day (a total of 24-32 ounces).

The general recommendation is to begin feeding solid foods at 6 months, though some babies can begin as early as 4 months. Larger babies, for example, may need to start on solids before reaching 6 months. But do not start them on solids until they are able to sit upright with support and have good head and neck control.

Night feeding: Besides the question of “how much should a 4 month old eat”, another common problem faced by many mums is night feeding. By 4 months, your child will most likely not be feeding in the middle of the night, although some breastfed babies still have this night feed. If your baby is still feeding during the night and is continuing to gain weight well, gradually cut down the quantity of milk in the bottle and slowly phase out the night feed.

Things to watch out for when feeding 4 month olds: You should never leave a bottle in the bed or prop the bottle up while feeding. In addition, adding cereal or honey in the bottle, warm the bottle by microwave, feed with a formula that is low in iron should also be avoided.

Introducing solid food:The first solid food you give your baby should be rice cereal fortified with iron. Mix it with breast milk or formula. As you are introducing a new taste, mix the cereal to a very thin consistency, similar to plain formula, so that the baby can grow used to the new food. Taking food from a spoon will also be a new experience, and some babies of this age can refuse it because of their tongue-thrust reflex. If your baby pushes the spoon straight out, it’s better for you to wait for at least a week to try again. 

For a detailed plan of starting your baby with solid food, please watch:

What Other Mums Say about Feeding a 4 Month Old

We started our little angel on rice cereal mixed with 1 tablespoon of breast milk, but this morning he started taking 2 tablespoons with about half a jar of veggies in the afternoon and evening. I feed him about 5 times a day and he gets a 6ounce formula bottle every day.

A growing baby needs to eat more, and if your child is like minewho spits up a lot, you need to give him more food to keep him healthy. I have started giving my 4-month baby watered down pineapple and apple juice, and he seems to like that a lot.

Development of a4 Month Old

While it is common to ask “how much should a 4 month old eat?”there are other aspects of a child that needs to be addressed. Here is more about what you need to know about development of your baby at 4 months.

Vision

You may have noticed that as a newborn, your baby showed a preference for bright colors and black-and-white objects. This is because babies have difficulty distinguishing color contrasts in the early months, but by the time they reach 4 months, they can distinguish more subtle color contrasts. Although they prefer to look at people close by them, they can now see further away.

You should notice that your baby’s eyes can now follow people and objects around the room, and that their eyes should move together smoothly. Another change is that their eyes may be changing color; babies with lighter-colored eyes may take up to the age of 6months to reach their final color.

Motor Skills

Your baby is now using his/her hands more and developing motor skills. He/she can use her hands together and pick up toys.Babies of this age love to grab anything they can reach, such as toys, colorful objects that get their attention, your hair, anything hanging nearby, or your glasses if you wear them.

You also have to be vigilant that your baby does not get hold of any small objects, as it could lead to choking. Babies often place anything they find in their mouth to taste it, and that puts them at risk. A good rule of thumb is to keep anything out of his/her reach that could fit inside a toilet roll tube.

You should notice by now that your baby no longer has a wobbly head. His/her control of the head should be good when sitting supported; he/she can also maintain the head and chest upright when lying on the stomach. Some babies can even roll over from their stomach to their back by now. They have also developed more strength in their legs and can kick and push with their feet.

Sleep

By the time they reach 4 months, your baby will be sleeping through the night. In total, a baby of this age should be sleeping between 14 to 16 hours a day. They should be able to sleep for an unbroken period of 7-8 hours of sleep during the night, plus 2 naps.

Communication

Babies of 4 months are becoming more aware of others and how they respond to them. For example, they realize that dropping an object will lead to you picking it up, and will often drop it again and again. They also notice that crying will get your attention. Babies of this age are beginning to become aware of their own individuality.

4 month olds are also learning how to communicate with others. They are developing a vocabulary of sounds and will make simple vowel sounds like “ooh” and “aah”. They will also squeal, gurgle, coo and laugh, and make a variety of expressions to express their emotions.